The majority may be slim, but most people prefer working out in places other than a gym. That's according to a new survey conducted by Gymless.org., an online resource for calisthenics and bodyweight fitness information.
According to a release on PR Newswire, Gymless.org polled 176,000 fitness enthusiasts to discover their preferred environment for working out. While a plurality of respondents indicated that they preferred working out at the gym (47.4 percent), a majority indicated that they preferred working out elsewhere (52.6 percent) — either at home (37.9 percent) or outdoors (14.7 percent).
These results align with a documented trend by other pandemic-era and post-pandemic surveys that have found a majority of Americans prefer exercising outside of gyms and fitness centers.
"There's a clear trend emerging that indicates that more and more fitness enthusiasts are preferring to work out in the privacy and security of their homes and public green spaces," says Liam Hunt, one of the study's co-authors. "There are many personal and invisible barriers to working out in gyms, including a lack of financial resources or the fear of judgment from other gym-goers."
The findings offer insight into the shifting dynamics in the post-pandemic fitness industry. Amid social distancing measures, the "at-home revolution" introduced millions of Americans to private workouts that can be performed without equipment in the comfort of one's home. This survey indicates that the at-home revolution may have considerable staying power.
"I'm not entirely surprised to see this poll reveal a shift in training preferences," said Amine Rahal, the CEO and founder of Gymless.org. "The global landscape of health and fitness has been evolving, especially in the post-pandemic context, with an increasing emphasis on at-home workouts. That's why we launched Gymless.org, to help people learn how to exercise anywhere, without needing access to a gym."
